The Great Commission – What is it?

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

The term “Great Commission” comes from Jesus’ words in Matthew 28:18–20, where He commands His followers to make disciples of all nations. This commission flows from His full authority in heaven and on earth, and it remains binding “to the end of the age.” The task involves two core components: baptizing new believers and teaching them to obey all that Jesus has commanded.

This commission is not limited to professional missionaries but extends to all Christians. Acts 1:8 reinforces this by stating that believers will be witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.” Evangelism, however, is not complete until it brings people into the life and teaching of the church, as seen in Acts 2:41–42, where those who believed were baptized and then devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship. This pattern—gospel proclamation, conversion, baptism, and ongoing discipleship—forms the foundation of the Great Commission and the mission of the church.

FROM THE OLD TESTAMENT

• The “Great Commission” is not found in the Old Testament.

FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT

• The content of the Great Commission comes from Jesus’ command to His disciples in Matthew 28:19–20. It reads, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
• This command is not three commands (make disciples, baptize, and teach). Instead, it’s one command (make disciples) which involves two key components: baptizing and teaching them.
• A “commission” is the granting of authority to do something. In the previous verse, Jesus said, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me” (Matthew 28:18b). He was saying that, on the basis of His authority He was commissioning all of His disciples to have the authority to make disciples. We call this “the Great Commission” because it is Jesus’ final command to His disciples before He returned to heaven. In other words, it’s His final marching orders.
• Note that while we are all to participate in this commission, it is specifically to be done within the context of the local church. Notice that Jesus said that disciples are to be baptized and taught Scripture (what Jesus taught). Baptism and preaching (teaching) are defining elements of a church. Baptism, in particular, is never described as being done by organizations other than the church. In other words, the Great Commission is not simply about evangelism or “saving people,” but reaching out to unbelievers, sharing the gospel, and then bringing newly saved people back into the church so that they can be fully taught as disciples of Jesus (i.e., Acts 2:41–42).
• Another note is that the word translated as “go” is a Greek participle. A participle is a word that refers to ongoing action. In English, participles often end with “ing” such as “running,” “singing,” and “dancing.” When one is “running,” for example, he or she is in the ongoing process of doing a run. By using a participle, Jesus was not saying “go” as in a one-time act, but “going” as an ongoing process of believers making disciples. Therefore, the emphasis is less about going to some far-off place to be a missionary, but more about every believer “doing” their life and, at the same time, “going,” telling those in his or her life about Jesus.

IMPLICATIONS FOR TODAY

The Great Commission is the last commission that Jesus gave to His disciples. It remains in effect until “the end of the age,” that is, until Jesus returns. Because it’s His final command, do not underestimate its importance.

Spiritual life in the New Testament was done within the confines of the church. It is in the body that the “one anothers” are performed (e.g., John 13:34; Galatians 6:2; Romans 12:10), people grow (Ephesians 4:15–16), and serve (1 Peter 4:10). Unbelievers, in the New Testament, were never a part of the church because the church is the people, not the building. The believers gathered together in local expressions of the church in order to help one another grow—be discipled.

Instead of inviting unbelievers into those gatherings, believers in the church were sent out to share the gospel. As people were saved, they were brought back to participate fully in the life of a disciple. The first act of all new believers was baptism, followed by a lifelong process of being taught how to be more and more like Jesus.

Some have helpfully said that the church is where the believers gather and the world is where they scatter. Scattering is the heart of the Great Commission. It’s going outside of the church, into the world to share Jesus. Some are particularly gifted in this area, spending their entire lives as missionaries to a particular group of people. However, we all have a role to play in the Great Commission.

As you go out this week, think of all the people in your life who do not know Jesus. “Go” by telling them about Him, praying that God would save them. If God is pleased to save them through your efforts, bring them with you on Sunday so that they can grow as Jesus’ disciple and learn, as you are learning, how to be like Him.

UNDERSTAND

• The Great Commission commands all believers to make disciples by baptizing and teaching them.
• The Great Commission is an ongoing call for every Christian to share the gospel in daily life.
• The disciple-making process of helping others know and grow in Christ is a call for every believer.

REFLECT

• How are you currently living out the ongoing call to “go and make disciples” in your daily life?
• In what ways do you actively help new believers grow in their faith through teaching and encouragement?
• How does knowing that Jesus gave you authority to make disciples change the way you view your role in the church’s mission?

ENGAGE

• How can we understand the connection between evangelism and discipleship working together in the Great Commission?
• What challenges or opportunities arise when disciple-making is expected of a program or church instead of each believer?
• How can we as believers prioritize living out the Great Commission while living our everyday lives?